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The differences between help desk specialists and installation specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a help desk specialist and an installation specialist. Additionally, a help desk specialist has an average salary of $51,065, which is higher than the $49,602 average annual salary of an installation specialist.
The top three skills for a help desk specialist include customer service, troubleshoot and technical support. The most important skills for an installation specialist are customer service, ladders, and scaffolding.
| Help Desk Specialist | Installation Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,065 | $49,602 |
| Hourly rate | $24.55 | $23.85 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 75,004 | 103,003 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The primary role of help desk specialists is to maintain relationships between the company and its customers. Their duties and responsibilities include responding to guests' queries, providing technical computer support, and maintaining computer systems' performance. Help desk specialists are also responsible for following up with customers to resolve issues and train computer users. There are several requirements to be qualified for this position, which include having relevant customer service experience, problem-solving and analytical skills, and the ability to prioritize vital tasks.
Installation specialists are skilled employees who are responsible for installing various equipment, machinery, and computer systems for a company or clients. These specialists must work with HVAC contractors to install air-conditioning ductwork and materials in business establishments and homes. They should recommend corrective action when identifying electrical and environmental deficiencies to ensure optimized performance and reliability of equipment. Installation specialists must also test hardware and software to determine its efficiency and reliability as well as its compatibility with the existing system.
Help desk specialists and installation specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Help Desk Specialist | Installation Specialist | |
| Average salary | $51,065 | $49,602 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $73,000 | Between $33,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Schulte Roth & Zabel | Technip USA Corporation |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a help desk specialist and an installation specialist in terms of educational background:
| Help Desk Specialist | Installation Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between help desk specialists' and installation specialists' demographics:
| Help Desk Specialist | Installation Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6% | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 11.6% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 10.1% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |